Under Head Pillow

ABSTRACT

Elastic plastic material head pillow comprises flat base and flexible bolster along the front longitudinal pillow edge, whose top surface repeats the anatomical shape of the thoracocervical area, formed as a flexible tongue top and bottom surfaces arranged in parallel position in the middle section with thickness from 4 to 6 cm and two times lesser than the tongue length. The ration of thicknesses of tongue middle section, height on the pillow front edge and pillow base length is 1:3:7, respectively. The tongue top surface gradually descents at angle ranging from 35° to 45° to the pillow base plane translating into the top plane thereof forming the recess along pillow transversal axis, with ascending surface embodied in counterweight form, providing optimal vertebral column physiological position, preserving natural sagittal plane curvatures, reducing head and neck soft tissues applied pressure, and improving head cavity venous drainage.

TECHNICAL FEATURES

The invention is one of the beddings, in particular one of the pillows to be used under one's head and providing optimal physiological position of the user's spine during sleep and rest.

There are known under head pillows differently shaped, which are used for the prevention of extensive curving of the user's cervical region of the spine during sleep and for prevention of functional disorders.

There are known orthopedic pillows that have a flat base with indentation and one-sided protrusion repeating the anatomical configuration of the cervico-thoracic region of the spine (23). Such pillows are used to promote neck muscles relaxation and improvement of the venous blood flow from the user's cranium.

There are known under head pillows made out of elastic plastics that have a protrusion repeating the anatomical configuration of the cervico-thoracic region of the user's spine (1-7, 11, 12, 17, 19, 23, 24, and 25). Such shapes of the pillows are very popular.

The closest case preceding the offered here invention is an under head pillow made out of the elastic plastic material that has a flat base with an indentation along the cross-sectional axis of the pillow and a roll or platen along the frontal longitudinal side of the pillow repeating the anatomical configuration of the cervico-thoracic region of the user's spine (1, 26).

The above mentioned pillow designs do not prevent non-physiological spinal curves from occurring in the frontal plane, i.e. when user is sleeping on his side. They though do keep the user's spine straight in the saggital plane, do not provide the proper relaxation of the spine during sleep and do not provide a proper venous blood outflow from the cranium. They may cause hyper tonus in the muscles and ligaments of the cervical area, neuro-opthalmologic disorders and snoring.

THE ESSENCE OF INVENTION

The purpose of this invention is:

-   -   Prevention of the non-physiological curvatures of the spine     -   Support of the spine straight in the frontal plane and properly         physiologically curved in the saggital plane (on the side         position)     -   Increased comfort during sleep due to reliving pressure on the         soft tissues of head and neck as well as the shoulder     -   Relaxation of the muscles and ligaments of the cervical and         upper thoracic area     -   Improved venous blood outflow from the cranium.

This technical result is achieved due to the design of the pillow offered here. The pillow has a flat base and a tongue-like protrusion in the upper front portion all along the frontal side. The upper surface of the pillow has a concave shape, which corresponds to the anatomical configuration of the user neck and back of the head area. The lower surface in the frontal area under the roll has a concavity for the user's shoulder. This protrusion, or roll in the tongue-like shape, is made out of elastic material. It has a thickness of 4 to 6 cm in the middle, which is about half its length. The upper and lower surfaces of the roll are parallel to each other.

The approximate relation of the thickness of the roll to the length of the protrusion to the length of pillow base is 1:3:7. The upper surface of the roll flows into the upper surface of the pillow and points slightly upwards (about 30-35 degrees). The upper surface of the pillow is a concavity, which in its lowest point has a thickness of about twice the thickness of a roll. This concavity is followed by an upward slope that ends abruptly into the backside of the pillow, which acts as a counterweight.

In cases where there is another solution to the stability of the pillow during sleep such as Velcro belts or heavy plates on the back portion of the pillow preventing it from tipping over when pressed down by the sleeper the back upper part can be made flat.

The pillow must be made out of flexible material such as foam rubber or latex. The pillow cover material of choice is silk since it has to be slippery to provide easier movements of the frontal roll during sleep.

THE SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. Axonometric view

FIG. 2. Side view

FIG. 3. Examples of people's positions during sleep on the back, or side, or face down using a regular pillow (I, II, III) and the pillow offered here (Ia, Ia, IIIa).

The invention is supported by a concrete sample, which though might have not been the only one possible, but clearly demonstrated the possibility of achieving the required technical results by the totality of the essential features.

THE BEST VARIATION OF THE INVENTION REALIZATION

The pillow has a flat base (1) and a roll (2) all along the front part of the pillow. The upper surface (3) of the roll (2) when pressed down by user corresponds to the dorsal area of the neck and thorax of the user. The roll (2) is made as a tongue-like elastic protrusion. Upper surface (3) and a lower surface (4) of the roll (2) in its middle part are parallel to each other. The lower surface (4) of the roll (2) gently turning into a concave indentation running along the frontal side of the pillow. The thickness (5) of the roll (2) is about 4-6 cm. The roll (2) protrudes front-wise and slightly upwards (6) to the length of double its thickness (5). The thickness (5) of the roll (2) is 3 times shorter than the height (7) of the front portion of the pillow and 7 times shorter than the pillow base length (8). The upper surface (3) of the roll (2) turns into the upper surface (9) of the pillow at an angle of approximately 35 to 45 degrees to the base of the pillow. The upper surface (9) of the pillow is shaped as an indentation (10) the lower portion of which has the height of approximately twice the thickness of the roll (2). The indentation (10) flows into the upward slope (11) running backwards toward the back side of the pillow, which acts as a counterweight. The back edge (12) of the upper surface (9) of the pillow may exceed the height (7) of the front side for about 2-3 cm (FIG. 2.). As a variation of a make instead of sloping upwards toward the back edge of the pillow the upper surface (9) of the pillow could be continued horizontally if there was another way to fix it to the bed and prevent tilting forward when slept on. Such ways could be Velcro belts, or weights attached to the back of the pillow.

The pillow may be supplied with a pillow case with a weight located at the back side of the pillow.

The pillow must be made out of flexible material such as foam rubber or latex. The pillow cover material of choice is silk since it has to be slippery to provide easier movements of the frontal roll during sleep.

Regular pillows provide head and neck support while not interfering with a proper spinal alignment only in prone position at best (FIG. 3, IIIa). When person is lying on the side (FIG. 3, II) his shoulder moves forward—under the weight of his body—pushing any pillow away or getting on top of it, which results in the tilt of the cervical region of the spine. When head falls onto the shoulder neck is bent down. In a similar position but with a shoulder on top of the pillow the head is tilted upwards. When sleeping face down—as many people do—the pillow inevitably gets in the way resulting in the head tilted up position (FIG. 3, III).

The design offered allows the user to keep his spine straight in prone position (FIG. 3, Ia) as well as in the side position (FIG. 3, Ia). The pillow is made out of foam rubber. The protruding front portion of the pillow—the roll (2)—flexes down under the weight of the head and neck supporting the cervical region of the spine and the back of the head. When the user turns onto the side during sleep the roll (2) gets released from the downward pressure and flexes up positioning itself between the lateral side of the head and the shoulder. That decreases the pressure on the shoulder and supports the head of the user. In the face down position (FIG. 3, IIIa) the pillow simply gets out of the way allowing no obstacle under one's head. Such position during sleep though not desirable is still better than having a pillow under one's chin.

This pillow design may help preventing osteochondrosis, neck soreness and neck and shoulder tiredness.

When using the pillow in prone position the user presses the roll (2) down. The shape of the roll (2) and the following it upper surface (9) of the pillow corresponds then to the dorsal area of the neck and the back of the head of the user. The roll (2) supports the cervical region of the spine while the head rests in the concavity of the upper surface of the pillow. When the user turns in bed during sleep the roll (2) gets released from the downward pressure and flexes up positioning itself between the lateral side of the head and the shoulder. That decreases the pressure on the shoulder and protects the occipital side of the spine from non physiological curves (such as lordosis).

Whatever the pillow is made of the roll (2) parameters vary according to the density of the elastic material. The denser is the elastic material the smaller is the roll (2). That is illustrated on the pic. 2 where the dotted line represents the roll (2) in which cases the pillow is made out of the less dense material.

Due to this specific shape of the pillow the wider range of possible positions is achieved in which the optimal physiological positions of the spine are preserved, the tension of the neck and shoulder muscles is decreased, the pressure on shoulder joint and upper chest area is decreased and the blood flow into and from the cranium is not disturbed. All this features are not present in other pillows.

The optimal physiological position of the spine when straighten out and relaxed be it during sleep or rest prevents non-physiological curves of the spine, supports the cervical region of the spine straight in the frontal plane while preserves the natural curves in the saggital plane, prevents hyper tonus of the neck and shoulder muscles, improves the venous blood flow, prevents soft tissue edema (face, neck, shoulder and arm) and helps to alleviate snoring.

This pillow design may be recommended for prevention and treatment of the symptoms of osteochondrosis. This pillow is of the great value to all those working in sitting position and/or in the same position for long time periods. Such people often develop neck and shoulder muscle spasms, which only get worse by sleeping without proper head and neck support. There are no pillows on the market today (except this one), which provide proper support in prone position as well as in the side position.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

This useful model corresponds to the condition of patentability “industrial applicability”, since its realization is possible with the use of the existing means of production with the application of known technological processes.

REFERENCES

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Invention Formula

1. The under-head pillow has a flat base (1) and a roll (2) along the frontal longitudinal side of the pillow, upper surface (9) shaped as an indentation (10), which repeats the anatomical configuration of the cervico-thoracic region of the user's spine but lower surface (4) shaped as an indentation for the accommodation of the shoulder. The roll (2) is shaped as a tongue-like flexible protrusion with its upper (3) and lower (4) surfaces parallel to each other and has thickness of 4 to 6 cm, which is half the size of its length. The approximate relation of the thickness of the roll to the length of the protrusion to the length of pillow base is 1:3:7. Upper surface (3) of the roll (2) turns into the upper surface (9) of the pillow at an angle of approximately 35 to 45 degrees to the base (1) of the pillow. The upper surface (9) of the pillow is shaped as an indentation (10) the lower portion of which has a height of approximately twice the thickness of the roll (2). The indentation (10) flows into the slope running backwards (11) towards the back side (12) of the pillow, which acts as a counterweight. 2. The under-head pillow as in par. 1 but differs in that the there are different elements used for pillow stability such as Velcro belts or weights attached to the backside of the pillow to prevent it from tilting when pressed down by the user. 3. The under-head pillow as in par. 1 or 2 supplied with a pillow cover, which has an attached weight acting as counterbalance and positioned along the backside of the pillow.

SUMMARY

The invention has its place in the so-called “light industry”. It is in particular one of the beddings, to be used under one's head and providing optimal physiological alignment of the user's spine during sleep and rest.

The invented pillow has a flat base (1) and the roll (2) along the frontal longitudinal side of the pillow. The upper surface (9) has an indentation, which when pressed down, fully corresponds to the anatomical shape of the shoulder and neck area of the user. The lower surface (4) has an indentation for shoulder accommodation under the roll (2). The roll (2) is a tongue-like protrusion of the upper front portion all along the frontal side. Its upper (3) and lower (4) surfaces are parallel to each other and have thickness of 4 to 6 cm, which is half the size of roll length. The approximate relation of the thickness of the roll to the length of the protrusion to the length of pillow base is 1:3:7. The upper surface (3) of the roll (2) turns into the upper surface (9) of the pillow at an angle of approximately 35 to 45 degrees to the base (1) of the pillow. The upper surface (9) of the pillow is shaped as an indentation (10) the lower portion of which has a height of approximately twice the thickness of the roll (2). The indentation (10) flows into the upward slope (11) running backwards toward the back side of the pillow, which acts as a counterweight. The pillow may have Velcro belts, or weights attached to the back of the pillow, or pillow case with weights preventing it from tilting, when pressed down.

The technical result consists in the solution of a problem, which is directed toward prevention of the non physiological curves of the spine keeping it properly aligned in prone position as well as on a side preserving the natural curves of the spine while preventing the non physiological ones. It increases comfort during sleep due to reliving pressure on the soft tissues of head and neck as well as the shoulder. It promotes relaxation of the muscles and ligaments of the cervical and upper thoracic area and improves venous blood outflow from the cranium. 

1. An under-head pillow comprising a flat base (1) and a roll (2) along the frontal longitudinal side of the pillow, upper surface (9) shaped as an indentation (10), which repeats the anatomical configuration of the cervico-thoracic region of the user's spine but lower surface (4) shaped as an indentation for the accommodation of the shoulder wherein the roll (2) is shaped as a tongue-like flexible protrusion with its upper (3) and lower (4) surfaces parallel to each other and has thickness of 4 to 6 cm, which is half the size of its length, the approximate relation of the thickness of the roll to the length of the protrusion to the length of pillow base is 1:3:7, the upper surface (3) of the roll (2) turns into the upper surface (9) of the pillow at an angle of approximately 35 to 45 degrees to the base (1) of the pillow, the upper surface (9) of the pillow is shaped as an indentation (10) the lower portion of which has a height of approximately twice the thickness of the roll (2) and, the indentation (10) flows into the slope running backwards (11) towards the back side (12) of the pillow, which acts as a counterweight.
 2. The under-head pillow as in claim 1 wherein there are elements used for pillow stability attached to the backside of the pillow to prevent it from tilting when pressed down by the user.
 3. The under-head pillow as in claim 2 supplied with a pillow cover, which has an attached weight acting as counterbalance and positioned along the backside of the pillow.
 4. The under-head pillow as in claim 2, wherein said elements comprise Velcro belts.
 5. The under-head pillow as in claim 4 supplied with a pillow cover, which has an attached weight acting as counterbalance and positioned along the backside of the pillow.
 6. The under-head pillow as in claim 2, wherein said elements comprise weights.
 7. The under-head pillow as in claim 6 supplied with a pillow cover, which has an attached weight acting as counterbalance and positioned along the backside of the pillow.
 8. The under-head pillow as in claim 1 supplied with a pillow cover, which has an attached weight acting as counterbalance and positioned along the backside of the pillow. 